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CHAPTER 15

Dillon

    I’m
just finishing up with some paperwork when I get a call from a new client, Mr.
Hansen.  Apparently, he’s heard some great things about the ranch and
wants to come and check it out.  Says he’s thinking about buying a horse
and would be interested in boarding it here as well. I told the guy to come by
Sunday morning.  Usually we take things a little slower on Sunday so I’ll
have time to show him around.  Business has been slow, so I’m anxious to
talk to him.  I might see if he’d be interested in riding lessons or
guided tours for family or friends and see if I can get the word out and get that
up and running soon.  We’re almost done getting the guest house ready and
Amy can pretty much take care of the horses now, so it gives me more time to
concentrate on the business side of things.

    As
soon as I hang up with Mr. Hansen, my phone lights up with my dad’s number.
 I’ve been trying to call him for weeks now to let him know about what
happened with Amy.

     “Dad?
 Everything okay?  I’ve been trying to call you.”

    “I
know.  I’m sorry.  You know me and this phone.  I was expecting
to come back last week, but got caught up in work and I’ve had a hard time
breaking away to call you back.  I had to attend a funeral out here
unexpectedly last week, so it pushed my book promotions out a week. Everything
okay out there?”

    “Yeah,
listen.  I was trying to get in touch with you because something happened
a few weeks ago.  Remember that girl I was telling you about that lives in
the fenced property?”

    “Yeah.”

    “Dad,
something bad happened over there.  She showed up here a mess. Her mom is
mentally ill and tried to commit suicide and tried to take the girl along for
the ride.  She says she was hidden away on that property all this time and
that a man would come to the house and abuse her mother.  The police are
investigating.  I think they questioned your friend that owns that
property.”

    “Alex?
 He had a stroke.  He was the one that passed unexpectedly.  I
can’t believe he had anything to do with this Dillon.  He’s a big shot
lawyer.  He probably rented that property out.  I’m sure he had no
idea what was happening.”

    “Who
does the land belong to now?”

    “I
don’t know.  His son took over the law firm, but his wife Ellen may have
been his beneficiary for everything else.  I don’t know.  I saw them
at the funeral but really didn’t have a chance to talk.  Listen Dillon, I
want you stay out of this.  Let the police do their job.  Don’t get
involved.”

    “She’s
staying here dad.  She has nowhere to go.  She was living on that
property as a prisoner her whole life with only her mother.  Now her
mother’s gone and it sounds like some guy might come after her.  Do you
think it could be Alex’s son?”

    “I
can assure you, neither Alex nor his son is dangerous.  I’ve watched that
boy grow up.  I’m sure there’s a misunderstanding or information that
you’re missing.  Dillon?  Let the police do their job.  I don’t
mind the girl staying there but, don’t try to be a hero.”

    “I
hear ya.”

    “I’ll
head home next week.  Stay out of trouble.”

    “I
will.”

    I have
a very bad feeling about all of this. Amy is doing so much better and I don’t
want anything to get in the way of her progress of getting healthy, mentally
and physically.  I hope the police are able to find this guy and put an
end to her fear and her nightmares.  Just as I’m walking out of the house
to find Amy, she’s walking back from the barn.

    “Hey,
did you get some work done?”

    “Yeah.
Actually I got a call from a potential client.  He’s coming out on Sunday
to check the place out.  May purchase a horse and board here.  It
would really help out. My dad finally called me back too.  He’ll be back
next week.”

    “That’s
good.  I’m almost done with the office too.  Maybe a little paint and
some last minute touches and we’ll be good to go.  Did you tell your dad
about me being here?” she asks with worry in her eyes.

    “Yes.
 Don’t worry.  He’s going to love you.” He grabs onto my shoulders
and gives them a gentle shake.  “So listen, I was thinking we could take a
break.  Get out on those ATVs and go to the lake to cool off.  I’ll
teach you how to drive.”

    “That
sounds fun!”  

    Seeing
her smile and get excited about the simplest things warms my heart.
 Candice would never get on an ATV, she never liked to ride the horses or
even just gaze at the stars with me.  I always did it alone.

    We
head out to the barn and I show her how the ATVs work.  We take it slow at
first and head towards the trail.  Once we’re on the trail, I make sure
she is ahead of me to let her control the speed.  She’s a natural.
 She takes off on the trail and I follow behind her splashing through mud
puddles and bouncing over fallen tree branches.  Her hair is blowing all
around and her laughter is echoing through the trees.  By the time we
reach the clearing and stop in front of the lake, we are both covered in mud.

    “Oh
my God!  That was so much fun!” she screams as she jumps from her seat and
runs towards me.  I scoop her up into my arms with one arm around her back
and the other under her knees.  Then I run to the lake.  Her legs are
kicking and she’s shrieking, holding onto my neck.  I run into the cold
water with her holding onto me and let her go when we’re fully submerged.
 Our bodies bounce back up to the surface and we are immediately gasping
for air with our lips quivering and our teeth chattering.  The water is so
cold.  Amy wraps her arms around herself in an attempt to try and stop
shivering.

    “Come
here.  I’ll warm you up.”  I pull her into my chest and encircle my
arms around her. Her eyelashes are dripping with water, her hair is plastered
all around her face and her lips are a tinge of purple.  She’s wearing a
light pink tank top that is now completely see-through and clinging to her
chest.  I dip my head to suck the cold water from her lips while reaching
for the hem of her shirt and pulling it over her head, not being prepared for
the attached bra that goes with it.  She’s bare.  Her skin is pale
but her nipples are pink and pebbled.  Drops of water decorate her skin.
 I glance back up at her and she’s just watching me.  Waiting.
 I cup her breast and massage it in my hand while I dip my head and suck
the other into my mouth. I hear her gasp and then her hand reaches around and
holds the back of my head to her as I play.  I lick and flick her nipple
with the tip of my tongue and then suck it into my mouth, rolling my tongue
around it as I do.  Her head tilts back as she moans.

    As
soon as I feel her legs wrap around my waist, I suck harder.  She moans
louder.  I begin kissing my way up her neck, sucking the cold water from
her skin, while rolling her nipples in between my finger and thumb and then
pulling and squeezing them.  She starts to gyrate against me.  She’s
panting heavy and I know she’s already getting close.

I reach between us and pull
my t-shirt over my head and then pull her tight against me.  Her breasts
press against my chest and as she continues to move her hips and rub against
me, our wet skin slides against each other.  She wraps her arms tight
around my neck, getting as close as she can.  We aggressively attack each
other’s mouths.  I hold her head to me as our tongues clash together,
making sloppy wet noises.  I want her so bad, I’m close to losing control.
 I want to be inside her.  I need to make her come.  I reach my
hands down to her ass to hold her against me, but move one hand further between
her legs and stroke her through her shorts from behind.  She whimpers in
my mouth and starts to rub herself vigorously against my hand, but I can’t hold
her like this and watch her come.    

    “Amy,
can I lay you down?”

    She
nods her head and remains clinging to me until I pull us both out of the water.
 I carry her to our blanket on the grass and lay her down.  Her wet
hair is clumped and splayed across the blanket, the cold air chilling her body
as she lies there watching me with curiosity and chewing on her quivering lip.
 My dick immediately hardens like steel seeing her flat on her back, wet
and wanting.  I hover over her and hook my fingers in the waistband of her
sopping wet shorts and drag them down her legs.  I glance back up at her
after they drop to the blanket.  She’s completely naked.  Her body is
wet and trembling.  My eyes roam from her face to her breasts to her flat
tummy and then I watch her as she spreads her shaky legs slightly letting me
know that she wants me to keep going.   I study her face as I take my
finger and softly run it up and down her soft folds, collecting the wetness on
my finger and then I slowly push it inside her. Her eyes flutter closed as I look
down and watch her pussy clench around my finger.  I push in a bit
further, but she flinches, so I stop immediately.

    “Don’t
stop Dillon.  It feels good. God, don’t stop.”  

    She
lifts her hips slightly into my hand and moans.  I continue to finger her
slowly, letting her get used to it.  Her juices are flooding from her body
so my finger slides in and out easily. I slip a second finger in, stretching
her.  She’s so fucking tight.  The fullness makes her gasp, but I can
tell she’s almost there by the way her body is pulsating.  I quicken my
pace, continuing to thrust my fingers in and out, dragging them over that sweet
spot over and over. She makes these whimpering noises as she grinds herself
against my hand that causes my dick to twitch.

    She
opens her eyes and they lock on mine as her mouth falls open with a long moan.
 She arches her back, her body convulsing, her fingers wrapping around the
blanket at her sides.  I can feel her pussy contracting around my fingers.
 Watching her completely lose herself is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.
 As she starts to come, I press on her clit with my thumb, sending her
over the edge.  Her loud throaty moan echoes all around us as she throws
her head back and squeezes her thighs together, holding my hand between her
legs as her toes curl into the blanket. I close my eyes and think about dead
bunnies for several seconds until her body relaxes, and then I pull my fingers
out and frantically unfasten my pants.  I fist my cock and squeeze,
pumping it until I explode into my hand.  

Fuck!

CHAPTER 16

Amy

    I
woke up this morning in a cold sweat.  I had kicked the covers off last
night in a struggle during my nightmare.  I remember it vividly.  He
found me.  The faceless skinny man in a black suit.  He cornered me
in a dark space and tormented me.  He touched me with cold, hard hands
with such strength and force.  I couldn’t make him stop.  My mother
sat behind him with her hands tied and something covering her mouth. She couldn’t
protect me.  I could see Dillon on the other side of the fence, only a few
feet away, looking for me.  He was calling my name.  It was bright
from the sunshine where he stood and the colors of the trees and the sky were
so vivid.  He was looking for me, but he couldn’t see me on the other side
of the fence in the darkness. I screamed but no one could hear me.

I think the conversation I
had with Officer Douglas might have brought on my dream.  He had called
last night to tell me they’ve ended their investigation.  They tracked
down the owner of the land, Mr. Alex Schafer and confirmed that he did pass
from a stroke recently.  His wife, Ellen Schafer, admitted to the officers
that her husband bought the land for my mother and me to live on, and that he
was simply trying to provide for her since they had been fostering her since
she was thirteen.

     I
know now that Alex Schafer is the fat man, the one that brought us the boxes.
 I remember him waving to me through the window.  He was the one that
brought me Chloe.  I just don’t understand why he left us there?

     The
detective also told me that I’m free to collect my belongings from the house
when I’m ready and that Mr. Schafer’s estate has not been divulged as of yet,
so the land will remain vacant for now.  He informed me that they did
question his son, David Schafer, who has taken over his father’s law firm, but
David insisted he knew nothing about the land or who resided there.  The
officer told me they have no reason to bring him in or hold him.  He also
assured me that there is no reason to believe that David Schafer has any
interest in contacting me. I’m assuming David is the skinny man that came in
the house and abused my mother.  David.  He has a name.  The man
my mother referred to as the devil.

    My
mother is still under psychiatric care. She refuses to talk about our prison
and why we were there.  She denies that a man ever visited us and that she
was abused and raped.  She is still a threat to herself and others and is
being closely monitored by doctors and psychiatrists.  The overdose of
Clozapine caused a heart arrhythmia. Her heart beats too fast.  She is
being given proper medications, but I’ve been told she’s not doing very well,
and that I should come to see her. I’m not sure how I feel about that.  I
just don’t think I’m ready.

    I’m
having a hard time with the new information that has come to light.  It’s
been making me feel uneasy all morning, but Laney and her daughter are coming
to visit, so I’m trying desperately to shake it off.  Laney set up a
doctor’s appointment for me.  She’s going to take me and then we’re going
shopping again.  Then later tonight, we’re planning a big dinner since
Dillon’s dad came home this morning.

    I’m
in Laney’s room pacing.  I can hear all the commotion downstairs.
 They must be here.  I’m not nervous around Laney, but I’m so nervous
to meet their dad.  I look in the mirror one more time to make sure I look
normal.  I still hardly recognize myself.  I watch myself in the mirror
as I puff out my cheeks and release a huge breath of air.  I rub my clammy
hands up and down my jeans to dry them and then open the door.  I jump
when I nearly plow into Dillon.

    “Hey.”
 He steadies me by holding my shoulders. “What’s wrong?”  He dips his
head slightly to look directly into my eyes.  He knows me.  He sees
me.  He always knows when I need him.

    “I’m
just nervous to meet your dad.”

    “Don’t
be nervous.” He pulls me into his chest and rubs his hands up and down my back,
with his cheek resting on the top of my head. He gives me a minute and then
loosens his grip, bending a bit to gently touch his lips to mine.  “Come
on.  He wants to meet you and Daisy wants you to color with her.  You
should be more nervous to meet her.”  He laughs.

    He
takes my hand and we walk down the stairs together.  Laney is cutting up
apples on the countertop for Daisy.  Daisy sits on the counter swinging
her legs and singing a song about a frozen princess.  She has ringlets of
blonde hair bouncing all around her head.  Her eyes are big and blue.
 She’s absolutely adorable.  Mr. Andrews walks over to me with a
smile and his arms open. I hesitantly walk into them and he hugs me tight, I
imagine like a father would hug a daughter.  He pats me on the back and
lets me go.

    “It’s
so nice to meet you Amy.”

    “Nice
to meet you too Mr. Andrews.”

    “Dillon
treating you okay?” he asks with a smile.

   “Yes.”

    “You
have everything you need?”

    “Yes
sir.”

    “Call
me Ray, darling.”

    Ray
is a kind looking man.  He has thin, wiry silver hair.  He’s plump
and wears an oversized flannel shirt with baggy denim pants.  He fits the
part of a rancher.  I can picture him rocking on one of those rocking
chairs on the porch chewing on a piece of straw with a glass of fresh squeezed
lemonade in his hand and a chocolate lab resting at his ankles.

    “Unco
Dewin!!” Daisy yells as Laney lifts her from the counter and sets her on the
floor.  She comes running full speed into Dillon’s arms.  He tips her
upside down and tickles her belly.  Her giggles are contagious.  As
he sets her down, she pulls on his hand and leads him into the kitchen and
proceeds to feed him apples.  Watching the two of them makes my insides
feel all gooey.

    “Okay
baby, mama and Aunt Amy are going shopping.  You be good for Uncle Dillon
and Grandpa!”

    “Awnt
Amy wus gonna colow wif me!”

    “Maybe
later baby.”

    “K
Mommy!”

   “You colow
wif me Unco Dewin?”

    “Sure
sweetheart.”

    I
watch as this big man sits on the floor with a crayon in his hand and I think,
how did I get here?  Aunt Amy?  A few weeks ago, I was just Amy.
 I had no one.  I didn’t have a future.  Now, I feel like I
might be a girlfriend, an aunt, a friend and be a part of a real family.
 I feel like I belong here.  With Dillon.    

    Dillon,
while chewing an apple slice, walks toward me and places his hands on my hips,
tugging me towards him.  He gives me a sticky kiss on my cheek and then
laughs.  “Have fun.”  He hands me a green plastic card and whispers,
“Buy something black and lacy.”  Then he kisses me again quick on the
lips.  I lick my lips, tasting the apples from his mouth.  He wants
me to buy lingerie?  My heart skips a beat and I can feel my entire body
blush.

    “Let
her be Dillon.  Come on Amy,” Laney whines.

    I
give him my best flirtatious smile and slip the green plastic card into a purse
I borrowed from Laney.  I grab my phone as well, even though I haven’t
really used it.  I follow Laney to the car in somewhat of a daze.
 I’m still tasting the apple on my lips from Dillon’s kiss and thinking
about how far I’ve come in just a few weeks.  Dillon touches me now like
we’re together.  Like I’m his girlfriend.  He broke up with Candice
because he couldn’t stop thinking about me.  I’ve let him touch me in ways
I’ve only ever dreamed about.  I never thought I could have this life and
when I let myself relax and take it all in, I start to feel like it’s going to
be ripped away from me at any moment.  A pending doom.  I can’t shake
it.

    “So,
tell me.  What’s going on with you and my brother?” Laney asks, breaking
through my negative thoughts as soon as we get into the car.

    “Um.”
 I think about what to say.  What has he told her?

   “Ah.
 I know.  He’s my brother but I know he’s irresistible.  Can I
just tell you, he’s good Amy.  He’s a good man.  I just want you to
know that.”

    “I
know.”  I find myself chewing on my lips all the time now to stop from
smiling like a crazy person.

    “Anything
you want to talk about?” she asks, eyeing me with a knowing grin.

    “I think
I want to be with him, you know?”  I’ve been thinking about it a lot
lately.  Actually it’s all I’ve been thinking about. I get so hot just
thinking about it.  My palms are sweaty again.  I rub them back and
forth on my jeans.

    “Yeah?”

    “Do
you think it’s too soon?” I turn to her and ask.  I don’t know what’s
normal.  I know in the books I’m reading that things move pretty quickly.

    “No.
 I knew instantly Caiden was the one for me and we didn’t wait.  Does
he know how you feel?”

    “I
don’t know.”

    “You
can talk to Dillon about anything.  You can trust him.  If you’re
scared about where things are going, just talk to him.  Believe me.
 He’s always been there for me.  I talked to Dillon about barbies,
lipstick, boys…he always listens and he’ll always be honest with you.”

    We
pull up to the doctor’s office.  Laney assures me that this doctor is
really easy to talk to.  We sit in the waiting room and I fidget in the
uncomfortable chair while staring at the covers of parenting magazines.  My
heart jumps into my throat when I think about the possibility of me becoming a
mother.  It’s too overwhelming to imagine, so I just sit still and pick
nervously at my nails until the nurse calls my name.

    “Good
luck,” Laney whispers.

    I
follow the nurse on shaky legs and follow her instructions to get undressed and
use the sheet to cover myself.  I feel like I might vomit.  My
stomach feels like a swarm of bees has taken residence there.  My head is
hot.  My body is clammy.  My throat feels like it’s about to close
up.

   The door
swings open and I’m greeted by a pretty blonde woman with a soft smile.

“Amy?  How are you?”

   “Good.”

    “Relax.
 Laney is a good friend of mine.  We’re just going to do a quick,
painless exam and then you can relax.”  She puts her pen to the papers on
her clipboard.  “Are you sexually active, Amy?”

    “I
haven’t had sex yet, no.”

    “Okay.
We can talk about that after the exam.  It may be just a little
uncomfortable for you.”

    She
instructs me to scooch down on the flat table and guides my legs into the
contraptions at the end of the table.  She gently presses my knees all the
way to the side and explains what she’s about to do.  I don’t hear her.
 I stare at the bright light above my head and clench my fists.  Seconds
later, she pats my knee and tells me I can sit up.  I wipe a bunch of goop
between my legs with the paper sheet and notice it’s tinged red.

    “You
did good.  You might spot for a little while.  How about you get
dressed and we’ll talk, okay?”

    “Okay.”

   She gives
me privacy while I change, then she’s back rolling toward me on her stool as I
sit at the end of the table swinging my legs nervously.

     “So,
Amy.  You’re eighteen.  You said you are not sexually active so I
just need to ask if you plan to be so we can talk about that.”

   “Um.
 Maybe.  I think so.”  I shrug.

   “Well,
just to be safe, I think taking a birth control pill is something you should
consider.  You will still want to consider using condoms as well because
birth control pills don’t keep you safe from disease.  I can write you a
prescription for the birth control and I’d also like you to take a multivitamin
as well.  Do you have anything else you want to talk about?”

  “I have trouble
sleeping.  I have nightmares.  I don’t want to take medication
though.”

    “There
are natural supplements that might work for you.  I’ll write those down as
well.  Do you have any other questions for me?”

    “How
long will the pill take to start working?”

    “I
would give it about seven days.”

    “Oh.”
 She must hear the disappointment in my voice and chuckles.  She
hands me a few sheets of paper and points me to the exit.

    “Here
are a few pamphlets on the pill as well as information on those supplements I
told you about.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.
 It was really nice to meet you Amy.  My office will call with the
results of your exam.”

    “Thanks.”

    Laney
greets me as soon as I walk out and gives me a curious smile.

    “You
okay?”

   “Yeah.
 She was really nice.  Thanks for taking care of this for me Laney.
 It means a lot.”

    “Absolutely.
 So, lunch?  Then where to?”

    “I
want to buy lingerie.  Dillon gave me his card.”  I smile.